Suggestions for workouts for the stomach?

[yoda313]

Ok I've been on something of a tear for workouts for the last few months. I've been alternating between pilates and taebo (workout videos not actual gym classes). I've seen great toning for my arms and legs. However I still need to work on the middle.

I've come across a great abs workout from exersise tv (hard rock body by jake series). Its a great workout for the abs but will it help out with the stomach?

I know I haven't been eating as well as I should. I know thats the other half of the equation (but I'm not pigging out just not eating as much fruits and veggies as I should) Also fyi I'm in my lower 30's so I guess I shouldn't expect miracles but they always show those infomercials of the guys in their 40's doing the super p90 deals so I should get some good results I think.....

I don't want to join a gym - expense mostly. I'm sticking to workout videos.

I've been trying to do a stretch/workout routine one day then a 30 minute stationary bike session the next day. I"ve been giving myself the weekends off.

I do have a nordic trak ski machine but I haven't been using it lately. I also have some 20 lb freeweights that I haven't used in awhile. Would doing that every other day help?

Also would doing old fashioned situps every day or every other day also help?

[deadrats]

the biggest factor in good abs is diet, followed closely by genetics (body structure).

in terms of exercises sprinting, jumping rope and incline sit ups (done on a sit up bench) will work wonders.

still, if you stuff yourself full of burger king and the like, all the working out in the world won't keep you from being fat.

[lordsmurf]

Get this: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0015R2B8G?ie=UTF8&tag=thdifa-20&linkCode=as2&camp=17...SIN=B0015R2B8G
Use these with it: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0015SUE20?ie=UTF8&tag=thdifa-20&linkCode=as2&camp=17...SIN=B0015SUE20

Due to neck/back injury, I cannot do normal situps. But I can do this, and it works really well.

Then do this diet 2-3 times over 2-3 weeks:

Dr. Bernard L. Berks 3 Day Diet, Suggested By The Miami Heart Institute

Follow Each Day Exactly In The Order Given To Lose 10 Pounds In 3 Days:

Day 1: Breakfast. Black Coffee or Tea
½ Grapefruit
1 Slice of Toast
2 tsp. Peanut Butter (on toast)

Lunch. ½ Cup Tuna (no mayo)
1 Slice Toast
Coffee or Tea

Dinner. 3 oz. of Any Kind of Meat
1 Cup String Beans
1 Cup Beets
1 Small Apple
1 Cup Vanilla Ice Cream!

Day 2: Breakfast. 1 Egg
½ Banana
1 Slice of Toast
Coffee or Tea

Lunch. 1 Cup Cottage Cheese
5 Saltine Crackers

Dinner. 2 Hot Dogs
1 Cup Broccoli
½ Cup Carrots
½ Banana
½ Cup Vanilla Ice Cream!!

Day 3: Breakfast. 5 Saltine Crackers
1 Slice Cheddar Cheese
1 Small Apple
Coffee or Tea

Lunch. 1 Hard Boiled Egg
1 Slice Toast

Dinner. 1 Cup Tuna
1 Cup Beets
1 Cup Cauliflower
½ Cantaloupe
½ Cup Vanilla Ice Cream!!!

This diet works on the breakdown of chemicals. Do not vary or substitute any of the above foods. Salt or pepper may be used, but no other seasonings. Remember, do not snack between meals. Also drink 8 glasses (8 oz.) of water a day. This diet is to be used three days at a time. In three days you should lose 10 pounds. After three days of dieting, you can eat normal foods, but do not overeat. After your four days of normal food, start back on your diet of three days. You can lose 40 pounds in a month if you do it right. This is a safe diet.

It will work. It's not a fad.

After you shed that gut, lay off the cookies/donuts, candies, fast-food burgers (home cooked is fine), Taco Bell and especially the cokes. Limit bread and cheese. Beer, too, if you're still drinking. I quit back in my 20s, thought I still have a pint from time to time.

If you get hungry between meals, drown it away with water or tea. The trick is to not eat all day, and to then eat proper portions of a balance of good veggies, meat, bread and fruits.

Punching air doesn't do crap for your muscles. No resistance. Get an MMA bag and beat the heck out of it (use hand wraps). Muay Thai (kickboxing) is my workout on a bag.

Use free weights on exercise bike, treadmill, sitting down to TV for 20 minutes, etc. Yes, it helps! I need to do this myself, I let mine collect dust too long. Mine is actually a 25-pound, I think.

[yoda313]

Punching air doesn't do crap for your muscles. No resistance.

If that is in reference to taebo I actually am doing the taebo video that uses resistance bands so there is resistance in that sense.

I also do those tri-cord resistance bands from that gaiam fitness company - very good for that.

-----------------

Yes I do have to work on the diet - have to admit that. I have virtually given up french fries so thats a start at least. I'm also working on doing the smaller jr size sandwiches and even breaking down and doing salads when I do eat out (yes even at fast food).

------------------------

incline sit ups (done on a sit up bench)

Got a visual for that? Would a board at 45 degrees work? what level are you at when you start the situp? Are you parallel to the ground?

Actually the new workout I've been doing has me swinging a weight in a circle while in a situp posiiton - that is killer stuff (a 3lb weight is what I'm starting with - I don't want to go higher than 5 or something, could be dangerous if its too heavy plus the video I got didn't specify the weight - its a free clip segment from exersise tv)

Get this: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00...SIN=B0015R2B8G
Use these with it: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00...SIN=B0015SUE20

I don't know. I don't think I've been good at pullups. Then again I don't know that I've been in this good of shape before - might work.

I'll think about it.......

Thanks deadrats and lordsmurf - keep the suggestions coming.

EDIT - regarding diet - I have to admit pop is a killer to me - (aka soda for the rest of the world). I can down 3 cans in an hour it seems. I try to do diet pop but I know kicking the habit is probably the best. I just don't think I can live without mt dew or pepsi - and it should come as no surprise to the videohelp veterans here I don't drink alcohol so thats not a concern for calories

[lordsmurf]

I buy those small 12 oz bottles of Dr. Pepper, and try to not drink them. Some days, it doesn't work, but I can sometimes go for weeks without drinking anything.

One trick I learned is to suck on a wine-flavored Haribo "gummy bear". Smurfs gum candy is what I use, imported from Europe. Wine flavored gum is popular in Germany, Netherlands and that area. It has similar flavoring to dark cola, but almost none of the calories. That and a glass of water is just as good as downing a bottle of soda. It kills my craving to suck down a can of drink.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B002N5US98?ie=UTF8&tag=thdifa-20&linkCode=as2&camp=17...SIN=B002N5US98
(Ignore the idiot that left bad feedback about being "stale" -- these are not chewy soft American style gum candies. You have to suck for a while, not chomp into them.)

Try that.

Yes, yes, this does make me "Cannibal Smurf"

[lordsmurf]

I don't think I've been good at pullups.

You're not doing pullups. You're doing situps while hanging in the air. The only muscle pulling is your stomach.
I suck at pullups too. But I have tried to do some, and I've gotten better at it.
But hanging situps was my goal for that equipment.
It secures fine, and held me even when I was pretty out of shape.

I wish something like that had existed 10-15 years ago. I'd NEVER have been out of shape.

[yoda313]

Yes, yes, this does make me "Cannibal Smurf"

Well at least your honest

Reminds me of one of those M+M candies commercials where one of them was eating a bag of M+M's - I think a guy even said cannibalism in the commercial - pretty funny.

You're not doing pullups. You're doing situps while hanging in the air

Well if I remember to look for them on sale some time I'll consider it. Though I do have equipment that I'm not using as it is so I don't know if I should be picking up more....

Keep the suggestions coming

[deadrats]

@yoda

use the force (sorry, couldn't help myself).

if you're just getting into physical fitness and you have no injuries try this workout:

2-3 sets "hindu" pushups (as many as you can do)
2-3 sets "hindu" squats (as many as you can do)

5 days on, 2 days off

[lordsmurf]

"hindu" --- ???????

Please explain.

[yoda313]

"hindu" --- ???????

Please explain.

Ditto.....

And actually I'm not just getting into it its been since spring that I've been really focusing on consistently working out.

[deadrats]

"hindu" --- ???????

Please explain.

Ditto.....

And actually I'm not just getting into it its been since spring that I've been really focusing on consistently working out.

you guys have never heard of "hindu" squats and pushups?

http://www.ehow.com/how_2093295_do-hindu-pushups.html

http://www.notyouraveragefitnesstips.com/best-workout-routines/hindu-squats-and-hindu-pushups

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Press-up

i've studied half a dozen martial arts since i was 12 years old (i'm now 40) and been strength training since i was a 17, including power lifting, olympic lifts, isometric training, you name it, and i can honestly say that "hindu" pushups are probably the best total body workout i have ever seen.

btw, not to be a douche, but "training consistently since spring" still qualifies as "just getting into it", your muscles, tendons, heart and lungs haven't really started to reach anywhere near the conditioning that you achieve after years of continuous exercise, after a while they achieve a level of "maturity" that lasts even if you take a few months off at a time.

[yoda313]

you guys have never heard of "hindu" squats and pushups?

Nope.

But actually in a weird sense they look more sensible then typical army style pushups. Your not using brute force from your arms. It looks crazy but I'm sure you can get into a real rythm there. I like that its a constant motion. Your not stopping at any point like you do in some of those nasty pilates exercises where you have to hold your leg up in the air and stuff like that.

I'll give it a try.

How many sets are you supposed to do when you're proficient at them? I imagine I'll only be able to a handful at first (like four or five, not sets of 8 or anything like that yet - though I'd like to think I'm flexible enough now to try anything).

[deadrats]

How many sets are you supposed to do when you're proficient at them? I imagine I'll only be able to a handful at first (like four or five, not sets of 8 or anything like that yet - though I'd like to think I'm flexible enough now to try anything).

you know, there is no 1 size fits all answer, the reality is that how much you weigh, how fast you do them and how much time you take between sets all play a factor. try to get strong enough to do them in sets of 20 with 1 min rest between sets.

you can also superset them with the squats or if you're really feeling bad ass, do as many as you can, immediately switch to the squats (no rest), do as many of those as you can, immediately switch back to the pushups and keep going back and forth until you are ready to puke and feel exhausted.

you can also switch these up with "burpees":

http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/rossboxing2.htm

these are all great conditioning exercises, especially for combat training like mma or boxing.

[yoda313]

in sets of 20 with 1 min rest between sets.

Wow thats ambitious. I like the rest period though.

I'll have to see if I can do this at all though. I just did a cardio taebo workout video this afternoon. I don't know if I'm going to try this tomorrow or not. I don't like doing really taxing stuff in consecutive days. Especially when I do new stuff like I did today (well it was only half new - a lot of the Billy Blank videos seem to have similar routines so some I was familiar with and others I wasn't).

Thanks for the suggestions everyone.

[lordsmurf]

There's no way I could do a Hindu pushup without being bedridden for about a week thereafter.
Squats are doable, maybe.

[Tearren]

This is a very good workout for the midsection

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3fU_8kJeXeE

[yoda313]

This is a very good workout for the midsection

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3fU_8kJeXeE

Thanks. Those look pretty run of the mill EXCEPT for those hip thrust things and the reverse crossed leg crunches. Those look killer. THe others I do variations of in my other workouts.

I apprecite the link.

[yoda313]

Well I haven't tried the hindu pushups yet or that other video that was posted.

But I think I am definitely pleased with my progress. I may never have "six pack" abs but I think for my self worth I am headed in the right direction. Clothes fit me better and I feel like I have enough stamina and flexibility to try just about any workout.

I don't want to discourage myself by not reaching some imaginary goal I may never get to. But as long as I keep up on this every other day workout regimen and doing biking or walking on my off days I think I should at least be able to maintain my current level which is good for me.

I know I could try something more drastic but aside from joining a gym or swearing off salt or some nonsense like that I think I am on the right track.

Thanks for the advice everyone. Feel free to use this thread for your own exercise requests or suggestions or if you just need a pep talk to get back on that treadmill.

[lordsmurf]

I gained 10 lbs this month. Oops.

[yoda313]

@lordsmurf - well nobody's perfect

The best thing is to get back on track.

I actually surprised myself last night. I tried out my freeweights on a whim. They are 20lb each. I was able to do to two sets of ten reps each. I didn't strain at all until the last few on the second set.

I'd say thats not bad for not actually doing any weight training. I've just been doing cardio workouts, taebo, and pilates with a few others thrown in. I guess that has been the trick if I can jump into weight lifting without any problems.

I know the last time I tried doing weights I had to start on lowly 10lb weights before graduating to 20lb. Though at the moment the 20lb are the heaviest I have. I do have a weight bench but its been sidelined for a long time. Its still setup but I'd have to do some work on it to remember what to do.

But as I was saying earlier I'm happy with my progress.

[deadrats]

@yoda (and anyone else looking for some tips)

if the hindu pushups are too much for you or you just want a good workout that doesn't take much time, will give you good muscular gains and won't wrench your back, i recommend doing the some quasi-olympic lifts, with light weights, preferably dumbbells, for as many reps as you can, maybe 5-6 sets total per night, 5 nights on, 2 nights off.

basically try the following with a 25lb dumbbell in each hand (if all you have is 2 20's that will be fine):

stand with the dumbbells held in front of you, one in front of each thigh, palms facing in.

reverse curl the dumbbells, without using your back for momentum, until the barbells are held in front of your chest, at shoulder level.

press the dumbbells overhead using a smooth motion, without leaning back (you don't want to injure your back or pull a muscle).

reverse the process until the dumbbells are back to where they started.

repeat as many times as you can.

this is a good conditioning workout that shouldn't result in any pain or injury but will result in good muscle growth as well as substantial strength gains.

as you get more advanced you can alternate the above with this modified olympic lift:

hold the dumbbells in front of your chest, at shoulder height (just like in the middle position in the above sequence).

while keeping the dumbbells in that position and keeping your back as straight as you can, squat down to the point where the top of your thighs are at parallel with the floor.

stand up and when you reach standing position press the dumbbells overhead in one smooth continuous motion (basically it's a front squat combined with a military press, done using dumbbells).

these 2 exercises should put some good muscle on anyone that uses them and so long as you don't go crazy with the amount of weight (which results in "cheating" and poor technique), you shouldn't have any pains or injuries from doing them.

and remember, diet, diet, diet, watch your fat intact as well as your sugar intact (and that means all carbs), switch from regular beer to light beer, from regular soda to diet soda and so on.

i had let myself go pretty badly, at 5'10" i had ballooned to 305lbs, what finally motivated me to get my fat ass back in shape was when i fell through an attic floor a couple of days before july 4th of this year and i ended up in the hospital pretty f*cked up. it took 14 emergency responders over 40 minutes to get be out of the attic and they had to use a pulley to do it.

since that time i have lost a touch over 50 pounds and i didn't have to starve myself, all i did was stop drinking regular soda (which has a shitload of sugar) and stopped eating all that fattening fast food that i used to have for lunch. i watch the fat calories of everything i eat but i still eat good for dinner, i'll have 2 rib eye steaks, fried chicken, fried fish fillet, big plate of pasta covered in sauce, you name it. the secret is make sure it's only one meal a day and that your total caloric intake is lower than your total caloric expenditure and get some good exercise, no matter what you do, try to workout for no more than 30 minutes per day, i actually only do about 10 minutes, so that you don't over train yourself, try to work out at night (seems to be a tad more effective) and stick to a 5 day on, 2 day off routine.

of course these are just guidelines, based on my own personal experience, others will have different opinions and advice to offer and no one person's experiences should be taken as gospel, only as a guide, a template to be modified for your own personal usage.

[yoda313]

@deadrats - wow thats some bio there. Thanks for the info. I'm not sure I'm gonna go all out on the weightlifting though. I may just keep up at the freeweights on alternate days from my aerobic and resistance workouts.

Thanks everyone for the advice and tips and everything.

[didikai]

Situps:

Lie flat
Anchor your feet
Hands behind head
Raise body AS SLOWLY as possible until upright. Head must leave the floor LAST
Keep head back
Lower body AS SLOWLY as possible. Head must touch the floor FIRST
Just before head touches floor hold position as long as possible.

Start of with ONE cycle on the first day.
Two the next day, three the next etc until you do ten.
Always hold last position as long as possible on last situp
You won't need to do any more than ten a day. It will demolish belly flab.

[yoda313]

I hate to admit I've abandoned my routine.

My schedule has picked up again and this pursuit has unfortunately been shelved.

I hope to pick it up again soon..........

After the holiday goodies of course

[lordsmurf]

I didn't restart mine either, and I added 5 more pounds. Crap, crap, crap!

And just when I had re-sworn off junk food, a friend's wife gave me this huge plate of brownies.
I'll be eating that for another week. YUM!

Sounds like we both need to restart in January, eh?

[didikai]

I didn't restart mine either, and I added 5 more pounds. Crap, crap, crap!

And just when I had re-sworn off junk food, a friend's wife gave me this huge plate of brownies.
I'll be eating that for another week. YUM!

Sounds like we both need to restart in January, eh?

It's a known fact that all diets start January 1st (or on a Monday)

[yoda313]

Yep all diets start Jan 1st and at least in the USA all fail come Super Bowl Sunday